This is a hand painted lanternslide with handmade wooden frame. This slide is part of a collection of slides made by Samuel James Reader depicting his experiences in the Civil War. It shows the Second Kansas State Militia leaving Topeka on Oct. 12, 1864, and headed for battle. Reader rode his horse, Fox, and later noted that the animal was so excited he passed to the front of the line with the commander. Reader was a Kansas farmer who was active in the early Topeka community. He built two of his own homes, served in the Civil War, and wrote in a diary nearly every day for 64 years. Reader began painting slides in 1866 and continued throughout much of his life, holding magic lantern shows for the local community in his house and at church.

Kansas Memory

Kansas Historical Society

To order images and/or obtain permission to use them commercially, please contact the KSHS Reference Desk at
reference@kshs.org
or 785-272-8681, ext. 117.

This is a hand painted lanternslide with handmade wooden frame. This slide is part of a collection of slides made by Samuel James Reader depicting his experiences in the Civil War. It shows the Second Kansas State Militia leaving Topeka on Oct. 12, 1864, and headed for battle. Reader rode his horse, Fox, and later noted that the animal was so excited he passed to the front of the line with the commander. Reader was a Kansas farmer who was active in the early Topeka community. He built two of his own homes, served in the Civil War, and wrote in a diary nearly every day for 64 years. Reader began painting slides in 1866 and continued throughout much of his life, holding magic lantern shows for the local community in his house and at church.